WO1991011360A1

WO1991011360A1 - Cockpit cover for boats

Info

Publication number: WO1991011360A1
Application number: PCT/SE1991/000059
Authority: WO
Inventors: Göran GRAUERS
Original assignee: Grauers Goeran
Priority date: 1990-01-30
Filing date: 1991-01-25
Publication date: 1991-08-08
Also published as: SE9000316D0; SE9000316L; AU7229391A

Abstract

A cockpit cover for boats comprises a tubular container (2) containing a rotatably mounted drum (10), on which a double cover-canvas (3) is rolled up. The canvas can be withdrawn in opposite directions through slots (18) in the container. Spring means (13) between the drum and the container are tensioned when the canvas is pulled out and automatically roll up the canvas when it is released.

Description

Cockpit cover for boats

The present invention relates to a cover device, e.g. a cockpit cover for boats, comprising a canvas or similar fabric and means for erecting the cover, said means comprising an elongated carrier for supporting the canvas, remote from at least one of its lateral edges.

The most common type of cockpit cover is a so-called boom tent consisting of a simple rectangular piece of canvas which is provided at its corners and at several locations along the sides with elastic scraps with hooks, which are hooked onto the boat at suitable locations such as lifelines, gunwales and the like around the cockpit. Sailboats primarily use the main boom as a cover supporjfc, possibly with an extension in the form of a rope line to the back stay. The canvas is laid over the boom in such a manner that the boom serves as a central ridge pole from which the canvas is stretched so as to slope outwards and downwards to the sides of the boat.

There are also various types of more or less tailor-made covers, e.g. extensions of a spray hood, to which the cover is fastened by snaps or the like. This type of cover is usually held up by a number of supporting arches in the form of bowed aluminum tubes which are inserted into and anchored in tube mountings spaced along the length of the cockpit.

Common to these two types of known cockpit covers is that they are difficult to handle, and erecting, striking and stowing them is a time-consuming and complicated procedure. Even in family type sailboats of moderate size one o has to handle canvases of 10 m and more which, in the case of the boom tent, must be pulled over the boom and stretched and secured. When taken down it must be carefully folded in order not to take up too much stowage space.

The purpose of the present invention is to provide a cover device of the type described by way of introduction, which is quite simple to erect and take down and is also quite simple to stow. It should also provide more possibilities than the known arrangements to vary the placement. This is achieved according the invention in a cover device of the type decribed by way of introduction which is characterized in that the carrier forms an elongated rigid container, in which at least one drum is rotatably mounted and in which said canvas can be rolled up, and in that the container has at least one slot running in its longitudinal direction, through which slot the canvas can be pulled out as it rolls off the drum.

In a sailboat, the elongated container replaces the main boom as a support or "ridge pole" for the cover or tent. The container, which in principle can resemble a modified spinnaker boom, is held up for example by the main halyard and can, as required, be oriented either fore-and-aft or athwartships (i.e. transversely to the vessel). After suspending the boom/container, the canvas can be pulled out like a roller blind and be fixed in a suitable manner. Striking and stowing is ingeniously simple. The canvas is rolled in and the boom/cover is stowed as an ordinary spinnaker boom.

In a preferred, particularly advantageous embodiment of the cover device according to the invention, the canvas is double wound on the drum when rolled up and has two free lateral edges to allow two canvas portions to be pulled out of the container simultaneously. These canvas portions are intended to be stretched in opposite directions so that the container can form a supporting ridge between opposite lateral edges of these canvas portions. Drive means in the form of spring elements are mounted between the container and the drum. These elements are tensioned when the canvas is drawn out and automatically roll in the canvas when the canvas is released. This provides a cover device which is extremely simple to handle and which provides great freedom as to the placement of the cover.

The invention will be described in more detail below with reference to an example shown in the accompanying drawings, where Figs la, b, c and d show side and bow views of a sailboat with a cover device according to the invention oriented athwartships and fore-and-aft, Fig 2 is a partially cut-away side view of the container with associated components, Fig 3 is a cross section through the cover device shown in Figs 1 and 2, and Fig 4 is a cross section on a larger scale through the canvas attachment points. Figs la-Id show a sailboat with a cover device with the general designation 1, comprising a tubular container 2, which serves as a carrier and storage compartment for a cover canvas 3. The container 2, which can be a modified spinnaker boom, is suspended in the main halyard 4. In the example shown in Figs la and b, the container is oriented athwartships, so that one canvas portion 3a extends forward and one canvas portion 3b extends aft. The solid and dashed lines indicate the possibility of v__rying the area covered by the cover. The example shown with dashed lines indicates a cover which provides much space and full standing height in the entire cockpit. The alternative shown in Figs lc and d only provides full-standing height in the middle of the cockpit but, on the other hand, it provides better protection on the sides. Figs la-d give, however, some indication of the variations possible for adaption to different (__rcumstances.

Fig 2 shows the container 2 with associated components in detail. The container 2 consists of an elongated tube 5, e.g. of aluminum, and a pair of end pieces 6 (only one shown), which are attached to the tube 5 by means of screws and close off its ends.

A shaft 7 is fixed to a support 8, which in turn is fixed by means of a screw 9 in a cavity in the respective end piece 6. The shafts 7 extend into either end of a tube or drum 10, which is rotatably mounted on a ball bearing 11 on each shaft. At their inner ends, the shafts 7 have a hook 12, which engages a loop of an endless elastic band 13, which in a simple embodiment can consist of a common bicycle inner tube. A loop at the opposite end of the elastic band 13 is placed over a hook 14 on a plate 15 which is displaceable in the center portion of the drum 10, but which is prevented from rotating relative to the drum by means of abutments 16. In Fig 2, A-A is a center line. The components described above are inirror-imaged to the right of the line A-A. The displaceability of the plate 15 automatically compensates for any non-uniformity of the elasticity of the bands 13 on either side of the plate 15.

Fig 3 shows an enlarged section along the line A-A in Fig 2, but with the canvas 3 wound onto the drum 10. The portions 3a,3b of the canvas (see Fig 1) are wound simultaneously onto the drum, so that a double layer and two free end edges 16 are formed, which are joined to individual bars 17, the shape of which is adapted to the shape of the associated slot 18, through which the respective canvas portion 3a,3b can be pulled out of the container tube 5 as it is rolled off the drum 10. The lengths of the slots 18 and the bars 17 are adapted to each other and to the length of the cover edge 16, so that the bars 17, when the canvas is rolled up, completely seal the slots, as shown in Fig 3. For this purpose the edges of the bars 17 and the slots 18 are somewhat bevelled.

Fig 4 shows the fastening points of the canvas portions 3a,3b in the drum 10 and in the bars 17. The drum 10 has a slot 19 through which the canvas portions extend double-folded. Rods 20, around which the canvas is laid, prevent the canvas from sliding out through the slot 19. The bars 17 have spring clips 21. The outer edges of the canvas are laid about grooved pins 22 and are clamped between them and the clips 21. By turning the pins 22, the effective canvas width can be varied somewhat for the purpose of adapting the lengths of the canvas portions 3a and 3b to each other, so that the bars 17 seal their slots 18 at the same time when the canvas is entirely rolled up on the drum 10.

When the cockpit cover is to be erected, the tubular container 12 is simply hung up in a suitable manner, e.g. in the main halyard, as illustrated in Figs la-d, whereafter the canvas portions 3a,3b are pulled out in opposite directions from the container as the elastic bands 13 are tensioned. In order to permit easy grasping of the bars 17, they are provided with external handles (not shown). The bars are then fixed at suitable locations, e.g. to the mast and backstay (Figs la,b) or to the lifelines or the gunwales (Figs lc-d), and they thus help keep the edges of the canvas stretched. When the cover is to be taken down, the canvas portions 3a,3b are automatically rolled up into the container 2 by the elastic bands, which unwind and rotate the drum 10 as soon as the bars are released. Since the cover canvas is entirely protected in its enclosed container 2, after being taken down it can be stowed above deck in the same manner as a common spinnaker boom.

Within the scope of the invention, it is also possible to have the main boom of the sailboat be used as a container for the cover canvas, provided that there are no outhauls, reef lines or the like running in the boom. Such a solution facilitates handling even more, but limits the possibilities of varying the cover arrangement. Space-permitting, instead of rolling up the canvas portions 3a,3b in two layers on the same drum, it is possible to arrange two parallel drums, one for each canvas portion. This requires, however, double drive means and therefore this solution is more complicated and space-consuming.

Claims

1. Cover device, e.g. a cockpit cover for boats, comprising a canvas or similar fabric and means for erecting the cover, said means comprising an elongated carrier for supporting the canvas, remote from at least one of its lateral edges, characterizedin that the carrier forms an elongated rigid container (2), in which at least one drum (10) is rotatably mounted and on which said canvas (3) can be rolled up, and in that the container has at least one slot (18) running in its longitudinal direction, through which slot the canvas can be pulled out as it rolls off the drum.

2. Device according to Claim 1, characterizedin that the canvas (3) when in its rolled up state is double wound on the drum (10) and has two free lateral edges (16) for withdrawal of two canvas portions (3a,3b) simultaneously from the container, said canvas portions being pulled out in opposite directions, so that the container can form a supporting ridge between opposite lateral edges of said canvas portions.

3. Device according to Claim 3,characterizedin that the container (2) is cylindrical and has two peripherally spaced slots (18), that said canvas portions (3a,3b) can each be withdrawn through an individual slot and that the free lateral edges (16) of the canvas portions are joined to bars or moulding elements (17) serving to reinforce the lateral edges.

4. Device according to Claim 3,characterizedin that the moulding elements (17) are shaped so that when the canvas (3) is in its rolled-up state, they serve to seal the respective slot (18).

5. Device according to one of Claims 1-4, characterized in that the drum (10) cooperates with drive means (13), which, during the rotation of the drum in a direction for unrolling the canvas (3), store potential energy which, upon release of the canvas, rotates the drum in the opposite direction using the energy to roll the canvas into the container (2).

6. Device according to Claim 5, characterizedin that said drive means comprise spring elements (13), which are tensioned between the container (2) and the drum (10).

7. Device according to Claim 6, characterizedin that the spring elements comprise at least one elastic band (13), which is tensioned between a mounting point (12) rigidly joined to the container at or in the vicinity of one end of the drum and a mounting point (14) in the interior of the drum spaced from the end of the drum.

8. Device according to Claim 7, characterizedin that the drum (10) is rotatably mounted on two shafts (7) fixed at either end of the container, which shafts extend into the interior of the drurn and serve as mounting points for one end of elastic bands (13), the opposite ends of which are joined to a mounting point (14) in the drum intermediate the ends of the drum.

9. Device according to one of Claims 1-8, characterized in that the elongated cont-tiner (2) is formed by a boom connected to a sailboat mast.